Knitting machine



Feb. 11, 1936. H. FEINEMAN KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l M 7 m WJ m WM W5 F F 9 x w m ATTORNEYS Feb. 11, 1936.

H. FEINEMAN 1 2,030,815

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

2a #ENBY FZ/A/EMfi/V ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a knitting machine and it particularly relates to an improved construction of circular knitting machine of improved durability and with lessened maintenance cost.

The invention of the present application has a particular application to circular knitting machines having a circular bank of closely spaced knitting needles, and the invention will be particularly described in connection with a circular knitting machine of this character, although it is to be understood that it has other applications within the scope of the appended claims.

The quality of knitted fabrics and the desirability of the design and appearance thereof is controlled in many instances by the fineness of the loops or knitted threads, by the closeness by which they are spaced, and also by the size and appearance of the pattern which is applied thereto.

In the one type of knitting'machine to which the present invention is applicable a plurality of rotating uplift and downstitch cams are utilized with intervening pattern wheels to cooperate with a plurality of cam follower portions, or butts of knitting needles, to alternately elevate and lower such knitting needles, said knitting needles when" elevated and lowered being caused to form a succession of Jersey and/ or tuck stitches which form the knitted fabric;

In forming patterns in the knitted fabric the cam follower or projection elements of said needles are caused to mesh with a pattern wheel and/or be elevated by said pattern wheel to cause a variation'in the stitches, the variation of the positioning of the stitches causing the pattern to'be formed. l

These pattern wheels are at an inclination to the axis of the knitting machine, with a series of closely spaced vanes or teeth, the interstices between some of which are blocked. The blocked interstices contact with the butts or cam follower portion of the needles and elevate the needles to form a loop.

- The vanes or teeth of these pattern wheels are relatively thin since the fineness of the pattern in the knitted material is more or less. controlled by closeness of the knitting needles and the spacing of the vanes must be the same as the spacing of the needles.

It has been found that the vanes in these pattern wheels cannot be more closely spaced than to give a fineness of pattern of about 18 needles per inch. When the vanes of the pattern wheels are arranged so as to give a spacing of loops closer than 18 to an inch, the vanes will be so thin that they are readily ruptured and bent during operation of the machine, and further closer spacing of the machine would result in a substantially decreased life period.

An object of the present invention is to provide a knitting machine construction in which with the utilization of ordinary needles and pattern wheels of standard mechanical construction, it is possible to achieve a greatly enhanced fineness of stitching and of pattern without unduly increasing the cost of construction, and without decreasing the life of the machine and durability thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved knitting machine in which by relatively simple manipulations within the skill of a knitting machine operator, it is possible to produce knitted fabrics of greatly enhanced fineness of pattern.

Other objects will appear during the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found most satisfactoryto provide in a knitting machine of the circular knitting variety, a plurality of banks of needles with cams or butts at different levels, each of which bank of needles cooperate with a corresponding bank or series of pattern wheels.

It has also been found suitable in certain instances to improve the construction of the knitting machine by adjusting the stitch cam arrangements for lowering the needles by means of rack and pinion constructions.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side sectional view of a knitting machine illustrating two of the pattern wheels in superimposed position.

Figure 2 is a top sectional view looking downwardly upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side view portion of the knitting machine shown in Figure 1 upon the line 3 indicated in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a side sectional view upon the line 44 of Fig.1.

Figure 5 is a side sectional view upon the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Figure 6 is a view of the two knitting needles indicating the difference in position in the height of their butts or cam follower portions, and

Figure '7 is a side view of an alternative double butt needle construction.

Referring to the drawings, the knitting machine as shown is provided with a fixed base element II), to which is bolted the cylindrical support element II by the bolts [2.

On the exterior cylindrical face of the member II, is provided a series of recesses I3, see Fig. 2, which carry the knitting needles 14, which are arranged: in two groups. or series. one with. elevated butts I6 and. the other with. depressed butts l1. 7

Each of these knitting needles is provided with: the usual hook l8 and the latch l9 pivoted torthe body of the needle at 20 as shown bestir'rFig: 3; and these needles are also provided witlrrthe; projections 2| and 22 respectively. The table 2 3' is provided with a rack element 24 and it'is conveniently rotated around the exterior of.-thecyl.---

inder I] by a suitable pinion or other means engaging 'the teeth of 'theraclr -24i The carriage 2 3" carries the support elements 25" and" 26 which are 7 respectively" provided with slots Z-T' and 23' receiving the upper and lower slot bars 29 and 30",Lii1 whicl'i 'slot b'arsmaybe inserted the lov'ver-squared ends 3 l of the' pivotal mounts" 32" of =the upper and flower pattern wheels 33'- and 3 4 respecti-vely'l The supporting elements 25 and" 26 also carry thelifting carn=e1ements35 and36" whi'ch=are attaohedtdthestructure" by meansofz screws 31 and which are provided with the 1 uplift cam I surface 38 for lifting the butts Hiand ill to welt position, the pattern wheels serving to elevate a desired number and arrangementof these needles to the tuck" stitchor- Jersey 'stit'chposition.

These cams 3'5' and 36 as is-'best shown-in Fig. 2; are curvedto-conform:to=the exterior'faceof the cylinder" H; and they are" recessed'i as-indicat'ed at 39 td receive the edges of the pattern wheels 33 and 34. Theearns and 36 are also provided with recesses 40 in whichpositionmay be-placed addition'al cam elements to' elevate all of the" needles to J erseyor tuck stitch position'ifdesired.

The stitch camsA-land- 42 respectively are also connected bythe screws 43 to the sidesof? the support elements 25 and 26 adjacent the cylinder H, and they a re provided with the-guiding'or cam surfaces 44 and 45,- the' surface 45"being primarily effective for contacting withthe butts I6 and l1 7 fof the' knitting-needles and depressing'them into V proper position wherebya--stit'ch will be-formed;

The present invention is primarily directed to the construction and: location: of the pattern wheels 33 and 3.4. Eachtofl the-pattern: wheels 33 and '34- is provided with. a. plurality of; teeth. 46 around the periphery thereof, which; meshiwith the butts l6 and I! and whichaarefillediby jack members: 49: (seeFig-H 4 causing elevation of the butts, as the: carriage 23w andthe pattern: wheels 33 and 34 thereon rotate. during. thev knitting operation; These: jacks are. usually held in. posi tionby the plate4t, and the. screws.48,.see=particularly Figs. 1,,3 and 5. H a Ordinarily wherea single pattern wheel is utilized, it is necessary to provide a sufficient numberof teeth 46 so closely spaced together that there will be recesses corresponding to each of the butts. As a result, the thickness of the'teeth l4, and whenthese knitting needles are more closely spaced back to back than it to an. inch,

the teeth arenecessarily of" such thinness and of weak construction, that they readily become 7 per butts I6, and the lower pattern wheel 34' operating on the lower butts l1. It is therefore, not necessary to-make theteethflfimfthe pattern wheels excessively thin or, too closely spaced together for practical purposes.

By utilizing the.

plurality of pattern wheels 33 and 34 it is possible 7 to make the teeth 46 of such pattern wheels 34 and-thejacks 49 of such strength of construction. that the pattern wheels will stand up under normal operating conditions without difficulty.

Although two superimposed pattern wheels 33 and,3 4=--corresponding to two series of knitting needles with butts l6 and I! are generally preferred, it is obvious that: three or four' superimposed rows of pattern wheels may: also be employed;

It is also apparent: that" bythe use'of a plurality of pattern wheels, as shown'at 33 and'34 meshing and/or cooperating to lift the butts l6 and lljit is possible to get a-- much wider-rangeinregulation of. the-tightnessor looseness of the stitch; or" the character of-the pattern and/or: of the characteristics of the final'knitted fabric.

It iszals'o apparent that by providing pattern wheels of? this sort, it is possible'to obtain-a variation in:the' uplift cams 35 and-3B and down orfor readil'y adjusting the 'down stitchf cams H and" 42, which down stitch: cams; are preferably attached by the screws 43- to=a rod' or' slider-element fill which fits in a'recess 61: in thesupport elements 25' and 23; i

f Each of the slider elements lill is-providedwith a rack 62 which engages with a pinion 63, con

trolled through the stud 84 bearing in the bore present invention it desired to provide: a means 65in the'blocks 25and26. The end'ofthe stud carries the-manual operating element66 enabling convenient control from the exterior of: the machine;

By varying the position of the down stitch cams and" 42' it is-possible to varythe-tightness and looseness of the knitting stitch and the two down stitch cams- 41 and 42 may beadjusted, permitting a much greater variation. 7

The remainder; of the knittingmachine may be of the usual conventionalconstruction. The rear" of the blocks 25" and 26'' may be recessed at 61, see Fig. 1, to receive the lower ends of the next pair or series of? pattem wheels 33' and 34. The pattern wheels 33 and- 34 may also be held upon the pivot 33 by the nuts 68.

At the top of the knitting machine isprei'erably provided a carrier ring 69 provided witha series of'slots 10, one foreach needle-which receive the sinker member 11 having projecting portions 13- together with the hooks 14' which serve to-press the cloth after ith'as'been knitted,

away from the knitting needles I4;

The double butt cam of Fig. 7 maybe actuated by the upper and lower bank of pattern wheels to make tuck or Jersey stitches, with resultant variation and ability to control the design.

What is claimed is:

1. A circular knitting machine 01' the character described having a circular bank of knitting needles, said knitting needles being arranged in groups or series alternately provided with butts at different elevations and a plurality of corresponding superimposed pattern wheels with cams cooperating with said butts, said pattern wheels being arranged in corresponding series at different levels, the upper pattern wheels being arranged to act upon the higher butts of one group or series composed of alternate needles and the lower pattern wheels being arranged to act upon lower butts of the other group or series composed of intermediate needles.

2. A circular knitting machine of the character described having a circular bank of knitting needles, said knitting needles being arranged in groups or series alternately provided with butts at difierent elevations and a plurality of corresponding superimposed pattern wheels with cams cooperating with said butts, said pattern wheels being arranged in corresponding series at difierent levels, the upper pattern wheels being arranged to act upon the higher butts of one group or series composed of alternate needles and the lower pattern wheels being arranged to act upon the lower butts of the other group or series composed of the intermediate needles, said cams being provided with rack and pinion adjusting means.

3. A circular knitting machine of the character described having a circular bank of knitting needles, said knitting needles being arranged in groups or series alternately provided with butts at difierent elevations and a plurality of corresponding superimposed pattern wheels with cams cooperating with said butts, said pattern wheels being arranged in corresponding series at different levels, the upper pattern wheels being arranged to act upon the higher butts of one group or series composed of alternate needles and the lower pattern wheels being arranged to act upon the lower butts of the group or series composed of the intermediate needles, said butts and said cams being mounted sufiiciently above one another as to assure that the lower wheel will not interfere with the upper butts and the upper wheel will not interfere with the lower butts.

4. A circular knitting machine of the character described having a circular bank of knitting needles, said knitting needles being arranged in groups or series alternately provided with butts at different elevations and a plurality of corresponding superimposed pattern wheels with cams cooperating with said butts, said pattern wheels being arranged in corresponding series at difierent levels, the upper pattern wheels being arranged to act upon the higher butts of one group or series composed of alternate needles and the lower pattern wheels being arranged to act upon the lower butts of the other group or series composed of the intermediate needles, the lower butts and wheels being sufiiciently below the upper butts and wheels that the range of action of the wheels will be substantially removed from one another preventing any interference therebetween.

HENRY FEINEMAN. 

